U.S. turns probe to state Senate Democrats

May 21, 2003|By Ray Long and Rick Pearson, Tribune staff reporters.

SPRINGFIELD — Expanding an investigation into allegations of legislative campaign work done on taxpayer time, federal prosecutors have subpoenaed the office of Illinois Senate President Emil Jones Jr., seeking state worker time sheets, campaign material, computer disks and e-mail dating to 1998.

Jones announced the federal inquiry to Democratic senators during a closed-door caucus Tuesday, where sources said he sought to assure his colleagues that there was nothing to hide. Some senators who attended the meeting said privately that Jones told them the investigation is related to an ongoing "election-worker investigation."

The examination means that at least three of the four partisan legislative caucuses are being scrutinized by federal authorities over potential violations of campaign work being done by legislative staff workers on state time. Both the Democratic and Republican caucuses in the House have turned over records sought by prosecutors.

Aides to Jones and the Senate Democrats denied any wrongdoing. They described the new subpoena as "routine" and said they would fully cooperate with the government.

The U.S. attorney's office in Springfield declined to comment.

But in a confidential three-page memo that Jones' office handed Tuesday to Democratic Senate staff members, workers were told "we need to obtain from you originals of any of the following kinds of records, including but not limited to, documents, computer records, computer disks or electronically stored data that you may have in your possession in files or on your computer that you maintain in your state office."

According to the memo, the time period for which documents were being sought under the subpoena covered Jan. 1, 1998, to Dec. 31, 2002. That period includes three legislative election cycles culminating in the Democrats winning a majority after last fall's election, ending a decade as the minority party in the Senate.

Cindy Davidsmeyer, a spokeswoman for Jones, confirmed the issuance of a subpoena. She said Jones has "stressed to everyone that there will be full cooperation and this is a routine thing."

Senate Democrats said Jones mentioned the subpoena at the end of a meeting called to discuss Gov. Rod Blagojevich's decision to block any expansion of gambling during the spring legislative session.

"It was almost like, `Oh, by the way,'" one lawmaker said.

Davidsmeyer emphasized that only staff members--not legislators--were being asked to produce the records. She would not provide any further details, saying she did not want to say "anything that could jeopardize the investigation."

The subpoena to Jones' office follows an election season marred by revelations of federal scrutiny into political activities benefiting House Republicans and Democrats.

Veteran House GOP Leader Lee Daniels was forced to quit the chairmanship of his state party after a federal investigation was launched last year involving allegations that his legislative staff did work for candidates while still on the state clock. Daniels later gave up his House leadership post, but he has remained in the chamber as a rank-and-file member.

Last summer, federal prosecutors also began reviewing similar but less specific allegations about the use of Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan's legislative staff to bolster the in-district work of lawmakers involved in tough re-election battles. Aides to Madigan, a Southwest Side lawmaker who also chairs the state Democratic organization, have said the workers were dispatched to help provide constituent services for lawmakers.

A spokesman for Senate Republicans said their caucus has not received a subpoena.

Only two months ago, however, former Republican Senate President James "Pate" Philip of Wood Dale made an appearance in the trial of Scott Fawell, the 1998 campaign manager and former chief of staff to former Gov. George Ryan. Fawell was convicted as part of the Operation Safe Road investigation into allegations of corruption that occurred during Ryan's tenure as secretary of state.

After Senate Democrats won control of the chamber in November, Philip gave up his leadership post. He recently resigned from the Senate.

An outgrowth of the federal investigations into political work by legislative staffers has been a move to enact a tougher state ethics law that would provide clear lines between work allowed on taxpayer time and campaign activities on personal time.

The memo from Jones' office to the Senate Democratic staff asked workers to produce "any and all records reflecting or referring to your review of candidate [nominating] petitions at any state work site," including offices in Springfield. That included office sign-in or sign-out sheets.

Moreover, it also called for "records in both final and draft form relating to campaigns for candidates for public office."

It also asked the staff to hand over any political records involving participation in campaign phone banks, voter lists, campaign literature and graphic art designs for campaign material. Workers also were asked to provide any candidate questionnaires, speeches, nominating petitions or written instructions or policies referencing candidates and campaigns.

In bold type, the memo said it is imperative that any records that "relate in any way to the requests ... not be destroyed, altered or deleted from your computer, but submitted to your supervisor."